2007-10-08

Continuing the Renaming process

Spice Valley Middle School, formerly Warwick Secondary, was renamed after T.N. Tatem. Even more recently, Southampton Glebe Primary School was renamed after Dalton Tucker. Both of these persons were educators held in high regard by their former students and it appears that the choices to make the name changes were done in good faith.

However these changes among others haven't been received with approval from the wider community. I think that many people are tired of all these changes being made without notice or approval from the wider community. When the airport was renamed, a large section of the community voiced disapproval. And the sudden announcement of the renaming of Bermuda Day sparked outrage.

Some folks are perfectly happy with letting Government handle these types of decisions without consulting the public at large, others think this smacks of a government not caring what its people think or desire.

A good middle ground can probably achieved here. Instead of suddenly pronouncing a name change, discuss a proposal, open it for discussion on the floor, delegate a committee of qualified persons to consider and nominate worthy candidates, allow solicitation of ideas from the general public and then go from there.

And while they're at it, try to rename Sandy's Secondary Middle School so that the island's most bizarre school name gets modified to something that makes sense, please.